‘Amrut
in the form of words’. Compilation of 273 spiritual discourses
delivered by Bhagwãn Swãminãrãyan,
meticulously noted and collated by His senior paramhansas in His
presence, and authenticated by Bhagwãn Swãminãrãyan
Himself. Central philosophical scripture of the Swãminãrãyan
Fellowship encapsulating the essence of all Hindu scriptures.

vadi

Dark half of
a Hindu lunar month in which the moon is in its waning phase,
i.e., the days falling between the day after Punam up to and including
Amãs.

vadvãnal

Form of demigodly
fire that resides within the oceans yet remains inextinguishable.
Derived from ‘vadvã’ – meaning female
horse, and ‘anal’ – meaning fire, since depicted
in the Purãns as being a demigod with a fiery body and
the head of a horse that drinks the waters of the oceans.

vaijayanti

Unique garland
adorned by Vishnu and other avatãrs, generally depicted
as reaching down to the feet. Made of five types of gems (rubies,
pearls, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds – representing
the five elements) and/or divine flowers said to never wither.
Derived from ‘vijay’ – meaning victory, since
Shri Krishna often wore the garland to war and invariably returned
victorious.

Vaikunth

Celestial abode
of Lord Vishnu, the sustainer of creation in the Hindu trinity
of ishwars.

vairãgya

‘Detachment’.
An aversion or strong, persistent dislike, generally for the world
and its mãyik pleasures, i.e., the panchvishays {Gadhada
I-47.7}. Characterised by remaining detached from the body and
the brahmãnd {Gadhada I-44.4}, or from all things that
are the products of Prakruti {Loyã-16.7}. One of the four
attributes of ekãntik dharma {Loyã-6.3}.

Vaishãkh

Tenth month
of the Ãshãdhi Samvat year, normally beginning between
April and May.

‘Merchant’.
Businessman or employer traditionally dealing with financial and
commercial matters in society. One of the four castes of the ancient
Indian social system.

Vãlmiki

Rãmãyan
Popular Sanskrit scripture of approximately 33,000 verses depicting
story of Shri Rãm Bhagwãn as told by Vãlmiki
Rishi. Considered to be the first poetic composition of its kind
in the world. See: Rãmãyan.

Vãniyã

Specific class
of people of the Vaishya caste traditionally engaged in commercial
activities.

vãnprasth

ashram Third
of the four stages of life, when one withdraws to some extent
from social duties and serves merely as an elderly advisor. Literally
implying ‘taking to the forests’.

Vãsudev
Mãhãtmya

Portion of
the Skand Purãn describing how an ekãntik bhakta
should offer bhakti to God while possessing dharma, gnãn
and vairãgya. One of the eight scriptures accepted as authoritative
by Bhagwãn Swãminãrãyan.

vãyu

1) ‘Air’
or gaseous matter. One of the five gross elements, from which
the sthul body of Virãt-Purush, i.e., the physical world,
is formed. By nature, it causes trees to shake, gathers leaves
and other objects, carries the panchvishays, i.e., sights, sounds,
smells, tastes and touch, to their respective indriyas, and is
the vital force of all of the indriyas {Gadhada I-12.22}. See
also: prãns and mahãbhuts.

Vedãnta

‘Conclusion
of the Vedas’. School of thought embodied in the Upanishads
which reveal the conclusive teachings of the Vedas, centering
primarily on the nature of the ãtmã, the world,
reality and personal experience. Also called Uttar Mimãnsã,
‘the later inquiry’, it constitutes one of the six
systems of philosophy known as the Six Darshans. Although each
of the ãchãryas have written extensive commentaries
upon the Upanishads and propounded their personal doctrines that
can also be called Vedãnta, the term is often used specifically
to refer to the Advait doctrine. See also:shushka-Vedãnta.

Vedãnti

Anyone who
propounds or adheres to Vedãnta philosophy, but generally
used specifically for one who accepts the Advait doctrine. See
also: shushka-Vedãnti.

Vedas

‘Knowledge’,
derived from verb-root ‘vid’ – to know. Most
sacred and authoritative set of Hindu scriptures, the oldest portions
of which are also recognised as the most ancient writings in history.
Collection of divine revelations imparting philosophical wisdom
as revealed to the rishis after strict austerities and deep contemplation.
Body of scriptures consisting of over 100,000 verses with additional
prose. Collated into four parts: the Rig Veda, Sãm Veda,
Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda, collectively known as the Vedas.
Each part comprises of four portions: Samhitã (hymns),
Brãhman (manual of rites and rituals), Ãranyak (forest
treatises), and Upanishad (enlightened teachings).

Vedstuti

Portion of
the Shrimad Bhãgwat (canto 10, chapter 87) wherein the
Vedas extol the glory and greatness of God.

Vidurniti

Code of political
ethics expounded by Vidur, the learned statesman, to his elder
brother, King Dhrutrãshtra. Forms portion of the Mahãbhãrat
(Udyog-parva, chapters 33-41). One of the eight scriptures accepted
as authoritative by Bhagwãn Swãminãrãyan.

vidyãdhar

Celestial servant
of Indra, demigodly in origin, thought to live in between the
skies and earth.

virãt

Of the three
bodies of Virãt-Purush and other ishwars, the physical
body, i.e., the physical world itself – composed of the
five mahãbhuts – and which sustains the bodies of
all jivas {Panchala-2.4}. Because it is evolved from the avyãkrut
(causal) body, it is also considered as the mãyã
of ishwar {Kãriyani-12.4}.

1)
An ishwar ‘conceived’ by one of the countless
pairs of Pradhãn-Purushes {Gadhada II-31.2}. A form assumed
by God through His two instruments of Purush and Prakruti, and
through whom He then grants Brahmã and other jivas their
bodies {Gadhada I-13.3}. By nature, he is like a jiva, with his
actions also being similar to that of a jiva – but with
a lifespan of two parãrdhs (2 x 1017 human years). The
creation, sustenance and dissolution of this cosmos are his three
states {Gadhada II-31.3}2) Also the physical world, or a brahmãnd,
which is, in fact, human in form – possessing hands, feet,
etc. – but beyond visualisation because of its immense size
{Gadhada I-63.10; II-31.10}. Also known as Purushãvatãr.
See also: Purushãvatãr.

vishalyakarani

Ancient herbal
medicine considered to relieve one of any stab wounds in the body
by causing the very implements that one has been stabbed with
to fall out from the body.

vishay

An object indulged
in by the jiva via the ten indriyas (senses). The five types of
vishays – various sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches
– are called the panchvishays. The jiva cannot remain without
indulging in the vishays, but vishays related to God uplift while
vishays related to the world pollute the jiva. The jiva’s
deep-rooted desire to indiscriminately indulge in the pleasures
of the vishays deflects it from the path of ultimate liberation
{Gadhada I-8}.

Vishnu-khand

Section of
the Skand Purãn within which lies the Vãsudev Mãhãtmya.

Vishnupad

A devotional
song written by the great Vaishnav poet-devotee Narsinh Mehtã
narrating the divine actions of Krishna Bhagwãn. Can also
refer to a general devotional song of Vishnu or his avatãrs.

Vishnu-sahasranãm

Scripture extolling
the thousand sacred names of Vishnu, creator in the trinity of
governing demigods, and God of the Vaishnavs. One of the eight
scriptures accepted as authoritative by Bhagwãn Swãminãrãyan.

Vishnu-yãg

Specific yagna
performed to seek the blessings of Lord Vishnu, or God in general.
See: yagna.

vishwa

Term for the
jivãtmã when it is conscious of its sthul body,
i.e., when in the waking state.

Vishwarup

‘Form
of the world’. The Immense, universal form of Shri Krishna
shown to Arjun before the Mahãbhãrat war, as described
in the Bhagwad Gitã (chapter 11).

Vital

Second realm
beneath Mrutyulok, where demons reside. Sixth realm from the bottom
in the 14-realm system of a brahmãnd.

vrutti

Classically
defined as an emanation of the indriyas, antahkaran or jiva; i.e.,
a form of ‘emission’ that is released from any of
the above. In simple terms, the jiva’s vrutti can be thought
of as the jiva’s focus of attention. The jiva can experience
the physical world through the medium of the indriyas. Similarly
the jiva can think about, ponder upon, or have a desire about
the world through the antahkaran. When the jiva’s attention
is focused on a physical object through the indriyas, it can be
said that the indriya’s vruttis are focused on that object.
Similarly, when the jiva’s attention is focused on an object
via the antahkaran, it can be said that the antahkaran’s
vruttis are focused on that object. Also, like the focus of attention,
the vrutti can be focused on or can be ‘emanated to’
many things at once with different levels of intensity. Also,
just as the jiva can focus its vrutti outwards, it can also focus
it inwards on itself or on Paramãtmã residing within.

Vyãs
Sutras

Extremely succinct,
esoteric aphorisms expounding the essence of the Upanishads. Encoded
by Vyãs. Also known as the Brahma Sutras or Vedãnta
Sutras. One of the eight scriptures accepted as authoritative
by Bhagwãn Swãminãrãyan.